


Heartbeat

by printfogey



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Brotherhood, Gen, Grief, Sadness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-23
Updated: 2011-03-23
Packaged: 2017-10-17 05:50:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/173590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/printfogey/pseuds/printfogey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Memories of heartbeat, metaphorical and actual. Set post-Marineford arc, but has spoilers going beyond that for Luffy's childhood, up to and including chapter 589.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heartbeat

**Author's Note:**

> This was first written for the Livejournal challenge community onepiece_300 to the prompt "Heart". Feedback very welcome, including nitpick and other constructive criticism.
> 
> Disclaimer: The world of One Piece belongs to its creator, Eiichiro Oda. It's used here without permission for entertainment purposes only.

Once, when Luffy was seven years old, Sabo had said, ”Hey, Luffy. Didya ever listen to the waves, really closely?” He paused, letting them both hear the steady beating waves upon rocks beneath them. “Don’tcha think it sounds almost like the beat of a heart?” He put his head to one side, “Or maybe someone breathing, like Ace said – but I think it’s more like a pulse. Right?”

“What’s a pulse?” Luffy asked. Sabo explained, putting Luffy’s fingers on the inside of his wrist to demonstrate. Then he went on, “Imagine someone with a heart so big you can hear it on every shore in the world!” He grinned, pleased with his own idea.

Luffy listened with wide eyes, but it wasn’t until he was a few years older that he understood what his brother had meant. From then on, he’d think about it at times, listening to the waves. The sea was huge and dangerous and didn’t like Devil Fruit users, but maybe it still took care of everyone in the end. Maybe it protected the souls of all the people who died in it.

But that was a long time ago.

When he dreamed now, on Amazon Lily, he returned to old memories of being little and cold and maybe just a little scared, when he’d inch over to wherever Ace was. Ace would mutter something in a grumbling tone, then put one arm over Luffy’s shoulder, holding him close. Feeling his brother’s heartbeat through the skin, Luffy would warm up and feel a little better, no more trembling and sniffling, feeling warm and safe. And Ace’s heart would go on and on and never stop.

He could hear the waves on the nearby shore when he woke up. But it was only noisy water, nothing more.


End file.
